Proton, Malaysia’s national carmaker, was first made available in the UAE more than a decade ago. Using Mitsubishi-derived designs and engines, the two models never made waves, quickly disappearing long before we were even out of college. Now, it looks like Proton is preparing a comeback with their Gen-2 model.
| The Good: – Fuel-efficient V6 engine – Spacious practical interior – Cabin materials and features |
The Bad: – Offroad capability – Lacks rear a/c vents – Needs more cup-holders |
The Porsche 911 is probably the longest-running sports-car nameplate ever. It has retained some semblance of familiarity since its debut in 1963, improving with every generation, eventually reaching a point where they cannot further optimise the shape any more. There are thousands of 911s running around the world right now. And yet, very few people have actually been behind the wheel of these so-called “iconic” cars. Are they really iconic? Well, we finally got behind the wheel of the 911 Carrera GTS to find out, if only for a day.
We’d already heard about it from our sources at the Nissan dealership, so this is just a confirmation. The older-generation Nissan Patrol, currently still available in 5-door form alongside the new Patrol, will also be offered in the 3-door short-wheelbase body style for 2012 in the UAE.
| The Good: – Aggressive styling – Cabin space and quality – Decent handling |
The Bad: – Noticeably long – Not exactly quick – Rides a bit firmly |
Who would’ve thought that the new Ford Explorer would be such a hot topic? But it is. The redesigned 2011 Explorer has been around for a year now, but only now has it reached the GCC. And what we have here is one of the first vehicles to land in the UAE, and we’re the first to review it. Incidentally, the first shipment is already sold out.
Our Ramadan giveaway comes courtesy of some freebies I got from various events, as well as some unused items from my closet. This gift hamper includes a media-only limited-edition Hot Wheels Chevy Camaro Convertible model, an exclusive Chevrolet Camaro cap, an exclusive Rolls-Royce glass cube with 100th anniversary 3D engraving, an extra-thin Nissan 2GB USB stick, a set of Armor-All liquid car wax bottles, and fancy coffee-table books and brochures from Jaguar, Infiniti & Kia.
Update: The winner is Mohamed Diab.
| The Good: – Superb fuel economy – Cabin space and features – Fairly comfortable ride |
The Bad: – Pricey with options – Steering too light – Some hard cabin plastics |
The Nissan Juke didn’t make much sense to us, considering the Qashqai was already on sale here. But it has apparently become a hit wherever it has gone on sale so far. This is the first time we got to look at the Juke in person, and it is seemingly nothing like the Qashqai on which it is based.
Well, looks like we’ve landed an exclusive. This here is the first 2012 Honda Civic to be reviewed in the UAE. After months of spy photos by readers spotting these mysterious cars all over Dubai, the Japanese firm has finally gone official with their new compact contender.